How much dry cat food should I be feeding per day?

by Anonymous

My girlfriend's cat eats dry food freely. I am watching the cat while she is away on vacation. How much dry cat food should I be feeding him per day? The cat is 3 years old and weighs 12 lbs.

Editor's note: There should be feeding instructions on the cat food bag, based on weight. If you don't have the bag, their website should have the information.

For example, I'm looking at a bag of Rachael Ray Nutrish, Indoor Complete. It says for a 10 lb. cat, three quarters of a cup. For a 15 lb. cat, I should feed 1 cup. For my 12 lb. cat, somewhere in that range should be good.

Most dry foods are probably around the same. The good thing about many cats is they usually don't gorge, and they'll often let you know when they're hungry.